Letter from the undersigned Sirdars, etc. of the Baroda Sate to Philip Sandys Melvill, Agent to the Governor-General of India, Baroda [‎18r] (3/18)

7. We bave already stated that, in spite of our repeated requests, His Ex
cellency did not visit us. It is a matter of deep regret to us that this circum
stance did not only deprive us of the only means of acquainting His Excellency with
our opinions as to the principles and usages according to which this State has
been hitherto governed, but did also incidentally prevent us from exercising our
hereditary right to take part in the administration of the State.
8. Taking into consideration the loyal services rendered by our ancestors,
each successive Maharaja peacefully continued our rights, privileges, and other
peculiar advantages, and protected us as members of his own family. This state
of things, which lasted till the time of His Highness Khanderao Gaekwar, was at
last disturbed during the latter part of his reign by the appointment of an un
educated man like Bhow Scindia as Prime Minister, who began to treat us rather
severely, and adopted a policy adverse to our interests. His Highness Khanderao
Maharaj, however, assured us in a personal interview that steps would be taken
to change the policy, and to protect our hereditary rights, privileges, &c. as
before. Before this assurance could be carried into effect, His Highness, to our
deep regret, died, and was succeeded by Mulharao Gaekwar. The character of the
reign of this prince has been too notorious to require any comment from ourselves,
and we only beg your Honour to refer to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Records on the point. It
is sufficient for us to state that the Ministry of His Highness Malharrao, out
of selfish and narrow motives, constantly tried to harass us in every possible way,
at the same time that they brought the whole administration to a disordered
condition, h inding it hopeless, under these circumstances, to get any redress for
our grievances, we were compelled to draw the attention of the late Resident at
Baroda to the existing state of affairs. This circumstance, as well as several
otliois, led to the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry, presided over by
( olonel R. J. Meade, G.S.I., before whom some of us stated our grievances in a
general form. ( Vide the Report of the Baroda Commission, page 111, Schedule 2 ;
and page 253). Although we are desirous to represent our individual griev
ances to your Honour, yet, for reasons already stated, we will make them the
subject of a separate memorandum, and for the present content ourselves with
submitting those only which are common to all of us.
9. As already stated above, we are considered as wattan vihhagidars of the
State. This fact has been admitted in writing by successive Gaekwars from time
to time. Further, some of us have received the title of " chiranjivee," a term
which signifies 'children of the gadee' and 'immortal.' Moreover, the rights and
privileges lllich we have been enjoying are not such as were created by the mere
pleasure of the Sircar; (even grants of this kind are continued in this State as
well as in the British territories) ; but they commenced at as remote a time as
when, through the devotion and combined energy of our ancestors, this Gaekvvaree
State was brought into existence. We maintain, therefore, that as long as this
State is in prosperity, no reasonable ground can be alleged for any interference
with our rights, privileges, &c., which we have received as wattan vibhagidars of